In Portland, Oregon, coffee is more than just a beverage, it is an essential part of the city’s character. Under oft-gray skies, independent roasters and cafés flourish, providing a wide array of styles and tastes for discerning Portlanders to choose from. The celebrated Portland coffee culture attracts visitors from around the world, who come to explore the diverse options and find inspiration for bringing great coffee to their own cities.

In Caffeinated PDX: How Portland became the Best Coffee City in America, author Will Hutchens tells the stories of the people and companies that pushed Portland to the forefront of the specialty coffee scene. He travels around the city, talking to a wide variety of coffee professionals and capturing their passion for roasting, selling, and brewing some of the finest coffees in the world. He attends cuppings, goes to barista school, and volunteers at barista competitions to better understand what’s so special about specialty coffee. Using Portland as the model, Hutchens also explains the phenomenon known as third-wave coffee, a worldwide movement to improve coffee quality from origin to cup.

Full of anecdotes and insights into the minds of Portland’s coffee leaders, as well as some lesser-known personalities, Caffeinated PDX is an enjoyable read for people who love coffee, for people who love Portland, or for anyone who appreciates a good story.

Praise for Caffeinated PDX

“The definitive book on Portland, Ore.'s celebrated coffee culture, through the eyes of the baristas, champions, roasters, and writers who made it all happen.” –Sarah Allen, Editor of Barista Magazine

“Portland's coffee scene is a significant part the city's rise to the status of national culture capital. In Caffeinated PDX, Hutchens has captured the essence of Portland's coffee scene by telling the stories of the people who made it. Through conversational profiles, he makes you feel as if you are part of it, as if these baristas and coffee roasters and intrepid spirits are your barista and your roaster and your intrepid guide to the wide world of coffee. In the process, Hutchens manages to capture the magic of a moment, when Portland was the place the country looked for culinary inspiration.” –Hanna Neuschwander, Author of Left Coast Roast